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George Washington/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby Tim is looking at himself in his bedroom mirror. He is wearing a marching drum around his neck. He called out to Moby. TIM: Moby! Have you seen my three-cornered hat? Moby is standing next to Tim. Moby is wearing Tim's three-cornered hat. TIM: Give me that. Tim reaches toward his hat. Moby moves his head to keep the hat from Tim. TIM: I'm going to be late for my fife and drum corps. MOBY: Beep. Moby hands Tim an envelope. Tim reads from a typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, Why do they call George Washington the "father of his country?" From, Lata. Well, there are pretty good reasons for that. George Washington was the commander-in-chief of the American army during the Revolutionary War. An image shows George Washington standing in front of colonial troops with his sword outstretched. MOBY: Beep. TIM: America won its independence from England in that war. An animated map shows the original thirteen colonies of the United States and England decorated with the pattern of the English flag. Then the pattern on the 13 colonies changes from that of the English flag to that of the first U.S. flag. TIM: So, when it came time to elect our first president, Washington was the natural choice. For those reasons, Washington is considered the foremost of the Founding Fathers. That was the group of men who established the United States in its early years. An image shows Washington with other Founding Fathers. TIM: Washington was born in Virginia on February 22, 1732, the oldest son of a wealthy farming family. An image shows Washington as a baby. He is being held by his mother, who stands next to his father. TIM: He entered public service at the young age of 17, becoming a government surveyor. An image shows a teenage Washington standing outdoors. He is looking through a theodolite, a device used by surveyors for measuring angles. MOBY: Beep. TIM: That's someone who determines exact land boundaries between properties, towns, and states. An animation shows a surveyor's map, with dotted lines indicating boundaries between farms. TIM: A few years later, Washington joined the colonial militia, or volunteer army. An image shows Washington and other militiamen in uniform. TIM: He was quickly promoted and led a raid on a French army unit in what is now Ohio. An animation shows French soldiers marching on a wooded road. Militia soldiers lurk in the surrounding woods. TIM: This small battle eventually led to the French and Indian War, a seven-year conflict between England and France over territories in America. An image shows a battle during the French and Indian War. TIM: Washington retired from the militia as a full colonel with a reputation for bravery. He married and joined the Virginia House of Burgesses, Virginia's legislature. An image shows Washington's wedding. A second image shows him in a heated debate in the Virginia House of Burgesses. TIM: During Washington's time as a representative, England's parliament passed the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townshend Acts. An animation shows England's flag. Images of the official Acts documents appear. MOBY: Beep. TIM: These laws imposed heavy taxes on the American colonies, even though the colonists had no representation in the British Parliament. Along with many of his fellow representatives, Washington grew to believe that the colonies needed to separate from England. An image shows Washington speaking to a group of men at a gathering. Everyone looks angry. TIM: When war finally broke out in 1775, Washington was elected general and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. He proved to be a capable leader and strategic thinker. An image shows Washington leading the Continental Army. TIM: His Christmas day attack across the ice-clogged Delaware River scored an early victory for the colonists. An image shows Washington and his men crossing the Delaware River in a boat. One man in the boat is holding a large American flag. TIM: In the winter of 1777 to 1778, a quarter of Washington's troops died at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, from cold, starvation, and disease. But his strong leadership kept the army together. An animation shows Washington and his soldiers in the woods. It is snowing, and the men are shivering beneath blankets as they sit around a fire. TIM: He led the Continental Army to its final victory against England, at the battle of Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781. A map shows the location of Yorktown, Virginia. Graphics represent the gathering of French, English, and American military forces in that town. MOBY: Beep. TIM: After the war, Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention, where the U.S. Constitution was written. An image shows the United States Constitution. TIM: He was elected the first President of the United States in 1789. Because the country was brand new, there was a lot of work to do. An image shows George Washington. Text reads: George Washington, first U.S. President, 1789 to 1797. TIM: Most presidents appoint one or two supreme court justices. Washington had to appoint the entire supreme court. He also oversaw the ratification of the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. Images show the six Supreme Court justices and the Bill of Rights. TIM: The United States was still young, so there was a lot of disagreement in Congress about which direction to take. Washington used his immense popularity to keep the country together. An image shows congressmen in a heated discussion. TIM: And because he was the very first president, he set a lot of precedents, or examples, for the office. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Like, he left office after two terms, even though he would have easily won another election. An image shows Washington walking away from the desk in his presidential office and closing the door. TIM: Some people even wanted to make him king. An image shows a colonist talking. Washington with a crown and scepter appear in his speech bubble. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Until Franklin D. Roosevelt, every president followed the two-term precedent. An image shows Franklin Roosevelt. Text reads: Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd U.S. President 1933 to 1945. TIM: And after FDR, this custom became a law. U.S. presidents cannot be elected to more than two terms in office. An image shows the text of the 22nd Amendment, which limits the number of terms a president can serve. TIM: Before he stepped down in 1796, Washington delivered his Farewell Address. In it, he warned Americans that they needed to stick together, or lose the liberty they'd fought so hard for. An animation shows Washington's Farewell Address, overlaid with a paper doll chain made from the pattern of the American flag. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yeah, that's true. Washington didn't think all Americans were deserving of such freedoms. He kept hundreds of enslaved people at his Virginia estate, Mount Vernon. An animation shows slaves working in a field as Washington looks on. TIM: At first, her saw nothing wrong with fighting for freedom while owning human beings. But his views evolved, maybe due to friendships with northerners like Ben Franklin and John Adams. Both men strongly opposed slavery, as did many other figures of the Revolution. An animation shows Washington thinking as he watches the slaves. Images of Ben Franklin and John Adams appear as he thinks. TIM: By the time he was President, Washington had come to believe that slavery needed to end. But he worried that outlawing it too quickly, and too soon, would tear the country apart. MOBY: Beep. TIM: As for his own enslaved labor, Washington ordered them to be set free…But only after his death, in 1799. He was buried at Mount Vernon. An image shows Washington on his deathbed. TIM: Today, Washington's estate is a National Historic Landmark. The buildings and grounds have been preserved, including the slave quarters. It's an amazing place to learn more about the full story of our first president. An animation shows a tourist map of Mount Vernon. The map is lowered to reveal tourists walking around the property. MOBY: Beep. TIM: So, you really want to join the fife and drum corps? MOBY: Beep. Moby raises a fife to his mouth and starts to play. The lights dim and a spotlight shines on Moby as he plays a funky tune. Tim sneaks away. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts